Project 1 - Website Build

Your task for this assignment is to set up a brand new ecommerce store using WordPress. As a first step, you need to come up with a product and company name that align with your interests or expertise. Your focus should be on creating a store that specializes in items that either help someone with their hobbies or support their passions.

Please note that in this project, you will not be adding your products to the store, but you will be working on the design and optimization of the site. To do this, you will need to look at other ecommerce sites that you like and take note of their footer, header, and navigation, which will help you to optimize your own site.

To create a unique brand identity, you will need to think about a site title, a site logo, and a tagline that reflects the values and offerings of your store. For example, Southern Fabric’s motto is “The Friendliest Online Fabric Shop,” which conveys a sense of warmth and personalized customer service that aligns with their small business roots.

As you work on your site’s design, consider the overall feel you want to convey to your visitors. Do you want to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere? Do you want your store to feel modern and cutting-edge? Defining the look and feel of your site will help you to create a consistent and appealing user experience that keeps customers coming back.

WordPress Project Requirements

You will need to change the following:

•    Site Title with Tag Line
•    Site Logo (190 x 60 pixels) Use Canva to make a simple logo.
•    About Us Page (example: https://www.reddress.com/pages/our-story) Notice the pics.
•    Theme Selection (use buzzstore theme)
•    Top Left Navigation (Content, About Us)
•    Top Right Navigation (Home, Shop Category 1, Shop Category 2, Shop Category 3, Checkout)
•    Favicon (512 x 512 pixels) Use favicon.io to make a simple favicon.
•    Footer (logo, social networking icons, links to: about us page, category 1, category 2, category 3, and home)
•    Tag Cloud

Step 1 – DreamHost Sign Up

To get started, create an account and sign in to your new website. I recommend using DreamHost for hosting, which offers a $4.95 per month option with a monthly commitment. You will require hosting for a maximum of three months. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll need to create a WordPress installation. When prompted for the purpose, select “none,” and choose not to add a domain name. You can install both plugins they suggest, including WP Super Cache and the DreamHost dashboard plugin for managing WordPress from their dashboard.

Step 2. Store Concept

Choosing a store concept is a critical step. You need to have a clear idea of what you want to sell before working on WordPress. Some examples of successful store concepts used in previous classes include pet supplies, workout supplies, craft supplies, party supplies, college clothing, hunting and fishing gear, sports equipment, and golf accessories.

Step 3. Basic Branding

For the next step, after selecting a store concept, you should brainstorm a suitable name and a catchy slogan (tagline).

When coming up with a name and slogan for your store, consider the following tips:

1. 1. Brainstorm: Start by brainstorming words and phrases related to your store concept. Think about the products you want to sell, your target audience, and your brand identity.
   2. Make it memorable: Choose a name and slogan that are easy to remember and pronounce. Avoid complex or confusing words that might be hard to spell or say.
   3. Be creative: Think outside the box and come up with something unique that sets your store apart from the competition.
   4. Keep it short and sweet: A short and simple name and slogan can be more effective in conveying your message and making an impact.
   5. Reflect your brand: Ensure that your name and slogan reflect your brand identity and values. Consider what message you want to convey to your customers and what emotions you want them to feel when they think of your store.
   6. Test it out: Once you have a few ideas, test them out on friends and family to get their feedback. You could also use online tools to check if the domain name is available and search for existing trademarks to avoid any legal issues.

Thanks to ChatGPT here are some great examples for a fishing ecommerce store:

• • Name: Reel Deals Fishing Slogan: Catching the best deals for you!
  • Name: Fish Hooked Slogan: Get hooked on quality fishing gear!
  • Name: Tackle Tides Slogan: Reel in the perfect catch every time!
  • Name: Fin & Fly Fishing Co. Slogan: Your go-to shop for all things fishing!
  • Name: Angler’s Choice Slogan: Choose the best fishing gear for your next adventure!
  • Name: The Reel Deal Fishing Co. Slogan: The best deals on fishing gear, guaranteed!

Remember, when selecting a name and slogan, it’s important to consider your brand identity, target audience, and the emotions you want to convey to your customers.

Develop your brand. Come up with your pictures. You are going to need:

• • a logo (290px by 90px)

• • a favicon or “site icon” (512 px by 512px) this is the image that shows up in the title bar at the top of the web browser tabs, you can also use this image as your footer logo since it is square.

Step 4 – WordPress Theme and Settings

To apply the BuzzStore theme, you need to go to Appearance -> Themes -> Add New and search for “BuzzStore”. Once you find it, click on the “Install” button followed by “Activate”. After activating the theme, you can customize it by setting the logo, site title, and tagline. Navigate to Appearance -> Themes and click on “Customize” for the BuzzStore theme. Then, go to General Settings -> Site Identity and set the two pictures, the site title, and the tagline. Ensure that the “Display Site Title” checkbox is unchecked.

Next, you need to change the permalinks to “Post Name”. This is done by going to Settings -> Permalinks and selecting the “Post Name” radio button. This will change the URLs of your posts. By following these steps, you can apply and customize the BuzzStore theme while also optimizing your permalinks for better SEO.

Step 5 – Install WooCommerce Plugin

To set up your e-commerce store, begin by installing the WooCommerce plugin. Go to the “Plugins” tab, then select “Add New.” Search for WooCommerce and click “Install Now,” followed by “Activate.” During setup, the plugin may prompt you with some options. Review the setup wizard and either choose the default settings or skip them where possible. You can always adjust these settings later in Project 3.

Now, it’s time to create some basic products with categories. Start by going to “Products” and selecting “Categories.” Create three categories: Product Category 1, Product Category 2, and Product Category 3. Next, add three products (Product 1, Product 2, and Product 3) to your store. Assign each product to a different category and set prices for both the regular and sale prices.

Step 6 – Content Place Holders and About Us Page

In the next step, you will create some content placeholders by generating empty posts and adding new categories to them. Additionally, you will develop an About Us page.

Begin by going to “Posts” and creating six posts. For the time being, name them “MVP #1,” “MVP #2,” and “Filler #1 – #4.” Assign each post to a category and include at least one tag. It’s fine to keep the categories generic for now since you can always modify them later. (For example, you could use “Category 1,” “Category 2,” and “Category 3,” and “Cat 1,” “Cat 2,” and “Cat 3” for the tags.)

To create the About Us page, navigate to “Pages” and add a new page. Name it “About Us” and write a compelling description of your brand.

Step 7 – Navigation and Home Page Settings

To build your navigation menus, start by going to “Appearance” and selecting “Menus.” This theme has two locations: Top Menu and Primary. The Top Menu should feature your content categories and the About Us page, while the Primary Menu should display your store categories. If you don’t see your store items as an option, click on “Screen Options” on the top left and ensure that the “Product Categories” and “Tags” boxes are checked.

Next, set your homepage to your shop by going to “Appearance,” then “Customize,” followed by “Homepage Settings.” From there, select “Shop” from the homepage dropdown menu. Don’t forget to click “Publish” at the top of the page to save your changes.

Step 8 – Foot and Social Networking Icons

To set up the footer for your website, start by going to “Appearance” and selecting “Widgets.” With the BuzzStore theme, you have access to four footer areas.

Begin by dragging “Categories” from the left side of the screen into Footer Widget Area One. Next, drag “Tag Cloud” into Area Two and “Product Categories” into Area Three. Be sure to check the “Hide Empty Categories” checkbox.

Lastly, add an image to Footer Area Four. Ensure that the picture is approximately 250 x 250 pixels in size.

To display social networking icons at the bottom of your website, you need to add the word “test” to each of the five social networks you wish to be displayed. Go to “Appearance,” then “Top Header Settings,” followed by “Social Media Settings.”

Step 9 – Other Changes

To turn off Breadcrumb images for WooCommerce pages and Normal Pages, navigate to “Appearance,” “Customize”then “Breadcrumbs Settings.” Select “WooCommerce Breadcrumbs” and click “Disable.” Repeat the process for “Normal Page Settings” and “Posts/Archive Settings.”

To remove the sidebar widgets from the left sidebar, go to “Appearance” and select “Widgets.” Under “Right Sidebar,” remove all widgets.

You should also change your site title and tagline. Do this in Settings – General.

Turning In Your Project

Begin by watching this video and creating a new admin user for grading purposes. This user will be used to assess your assignments. To turn in your work, please submit your website URL and the admin username and password you just created for the instructor via GeorgiaView Assignment 1.

MAKE SURE YOU REVIEW THE RUBRIC BEFORE SUBMITTING. BE SURE YOU HAVE COMPLETED ALL THE TASKS IN THE RUBRIC!!!